Six lanes are better than four when it comes to cutting down on the number of vehicle collisions according to data compiled by the Ministry of Transportation.
On Monday Melissa Buelow, area manager of Highway Engineering and Christina Klein, head traffic, MTO, shared this data with council as part of a Highway 401 collisions and closures presentation.
The data showed a five-year snapshot outlining the closures — both planned and unplanned — in eastern Ontario between 2012 and 2016.
Frontenac County, one of only two counties where Highway 401 increases to six lanes, shows a marked difference in the amount of collisions between its six and four-lane sections. The 22-kms of four-lane had 21 closures while the 15kms of six-lane only had five in the same five-year span.
“We see from the presentation that six lanes reduced the amount of accidents dramatically,” said Mayor Jim Harrison.
Part of the data gathering included mapping out where collisions occur between interchanges in an effort to narrow down in terms of “hotspot areas” that MTO might concentrate on more to find causes and potential solutions.
In Quinte, a section just east of Belleville, as well as the portion of Highway 401 between Belleville and Trenton, showed as problematic areas. Northumberland County, from Port Hope toward Brighton, was another such area.
“So those are some areas that we need to spend a little more time to figure out what is going on in those areas that’s causing... significantly greater numbers of closures and is there something that can be done about that?” said Buelow.
Weather has shown it can be a factor when it comes to Highway 401 closures due to collisions. From Port Hope to the Quebec border, Highway 401 experienced an average of 53 unplanned closures per year between 2012-2016 with 2014 being a particularly busy year with 69 unplanned closures. Klein attributed that jump to winter storms both at the beginning and the end of that year.
One method the ministry is using to combat the issue is a low visibility warning system pilot that is in place in Northumberland County. The system was installed in 2015 along a 9.9-km stretch of highway which is especially prone to snow conditions and white outs.
When visibility drops below half a kilometre the system automatically triggers and flashing lights are activated on six signs — three in each direction — while also activating a portable, variable-message sign on either end of the project, notifying drivers of the potential for reduced visibility on the road ahead.
“The intent of this system is to influence driver behaviour when reduced visibility is detected,” said Klein.
The ministry is currently monitoring the system and data and will consider expanding or enhancing in the future, said Klein.
When it comes to reducing collisions in problem areas, councillors and staff had some out-of-the-box suggestions including increasing the speed limit (as well as the fines for people caught exceeding the limit), the introduction of digital speed limit signs that can be changed based upon current road conditions and even changing what traffic can travel in specific lanes.
Coun. David McCue suggested, in the case of an increase from four lanes to six, that two of those lanes be designated for commercial traffic with a concrete median separating it from general traffic flow.
He explained a collision in the commercial lane would still allow general traffic to move and vice versa.
“When I started with the fire department 40-some years ago, our calls for accidents on the 401 were mainly head-on collisions,” he said. “Vehicles went through the medians and hit each other. They put up barriers to stop that.
“We don’t get head-on collisions on the 401 anymore unless someone’s driving the wrong way.”
Harrison said Eastern Ontario mayors are pushing for six lanes... all the way to the Quebec border.
“I know I won’t live long enough to see it,” he quipped. “But some of these younger fellows will I hope.”
tjmiller@postmedia.com